White Christmas

Almost a month had gone by since Ella’s encounter and Bastien’s gift of asparagus crowns for her. Christmas was just as large of a holiday in Cordonia as it was in America. Ella’s Christmas decorations had arrived a few days ago and now she was finally getting a chance to hang them all up. As Ella reaches up to lace a garland around her glass cabinets, a knock on her glass kitchen door startles her.

“Hey” Liam grins as he pokes his head through the doorway.

“You know I have a perfectly good front door, right?” Ella replies snarkily as she lowers her hands onto her hips.

“I do, but do you honestly think no one pays attention to your duchy? Waiting to see what eligible bachelor worms his way into your heart” Liam says, a grin at first before it slowly disappears from his lips.

Ella reads his cues and quickly changes the subject.

“So what brings you by?” Ella asks as she leans against the counter.

“The winter ball is tonight and I heard that you declined to attend,” Liam says quietly.

“I’m just not in the mood to get all dressed up to be stared at. Isn’t this your debut of Lady Nelson in court?” Ella asks.

“Yes, it is. I would love for you to be there” Liam replies quickly.

Ella nods thoughtfully, her fingers clasped together and resting on one of her hips as she thinks it through. He would undoubtedly do everything in his power to make her comfortable.

“I can not possibly agree to come hours beforehand” Ella smirks at Liam

“We both know my assistant already set a place for you and I can have a team here within thirty minutes for anything you need. Hair, makeup, designer…” Liam trails off “I would like for you and Angeline to be friends, it would mean a lot to me…”

Ella smirks as Liam rambles on. That charm of his was showing through again. Ella wanted to resist, to stay home and listen to Christmas music.

“I’ll come under one condition,” Ella says with a smirk on her lips.

“Anything” Liam says eagerly.

“I’d like to request, White Christmas by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye,” Ella says.

“Deal” Liam laughs softly “Thank you, Ella”

Ella nods as Liam turns and leaves. Ella finishes hanging the decorations around her duchy that she can before she needs to get ready. Ella pins her hair back out of her face, letting her semi-long hair cascade down her back. She pulls open her closet and finds a long, strapless red dress. With her slip and pantyhose on, Ella sits down to quickly apply some makeup.

Ella slips into her dress, grabbing a long shawl from her closet as she searches for a pair of closed toe heels. Checking over herself one more time in the mirror, Ella heads downstairs to call her car.

“Lady Ella, are you ready to leave?” Bastien says as she reaches the bottom of the staircase.

“Yes,” Ella replies as they both turn towards the front door.

Bastien had been extremely busy at the palace the last couple of weeks. Ella had hoped to see him around her duchy more but was met with Drake and other members of her security. Ella had also interviewed quite a few woman to replace Gladys, but Ella felt more than comfortable being alone than in the presence of another stranger around her home. The security team was bad enough.

Bastien pulls open the car door for Ella as she carefully slides into the limo. Bastien’s eyes linger over her, causing Ella to blush slightly as he closes the door. The car drives away a moment later, Bastien watching the car drive off before he climbs into his security SUV and follows.

By the time Ella arrives at the palace, the ball is in full swing. Most people already inside as Ella’s car pulls up. The driver opens her door and she walks herself inside, handing her shawl over to a palace staff member as she takes a moment before her arrival is announced.

“Need an escort?” A man jokes behind her.

Ella twirls around to see Maxwell standing with a grin on his face as he holds out his arm. Ella laughs as she rests her hand on the crook of Maxwell’s elbow. Both of them walking into the large hall a moment later, their arrival announced. A handful of people turn to look at Ella while most other people ignore them after hearing Maxwell’s name. Maxwell walks Ella over to her seat next to Hana before he goes off to find his own seat.

The night wears on all around Ella. Lady Angeline Nelson makes her grand entrance, everyone in court swooning over the blonde goddess. Her long legs, slender frame, and a charming smile beneath her large brown eyes.

Seeing Lady Nelson with Liam felt like too much, Ella quietly excuses herself. As soon as she steps out onto the patio and makes her way towards the garden, stopping by the last heat lamp as “White Christmas” begins to play inside of the grand hall.

Ella slowly sways back and forth to the music, humming the lyrics as she turns around, startled to see Bastien watching her.

“Oh…” Ella gasps softly.

“Would you like to dance? I know it’s out of line for me to ask, but-”

“Yes”

The corner of Bastiens lip’s perk up as he steps closer to Ella. One of his hands on her waist as his other hand folds around Ella’s. They move slowly to the music, more swaying back and forth than actual dancing. Ella finds herself so close to Bastien that she can smell his aftershave. The little stubble near where he needed to touch up his beard with a shave.

Bing Crosby sings in the background as Ella and Bastien dance on the secluded area of the patio. As Bastien slowly dips Ella, snow begins to fall around them.

“Maybe we will have a white Christmas” Ella grins

“You’d like that?” Bastien asks.

“I would” Ella replies.

Her and Bastien continue to dance until the song ends. Both of them standing closely in front of the other, neither wanting to move. Bastien’s hand slowly raises and his palm rests gently against Ella’s cheek.

“I want to apologize for the last few weeks. I have been extremely busy and I didn’t mean to come off as though I were trying to avoid you or give you…the cold shoulder” Bastien says, the last couple of words making his eyebrows quirk

“I know and I understand. Your loyalty to Liam comes first” Ella says softly

Bastien’s expression softens, his grey eyes locked on Ella’s brown eyes as a small smile plays on his lips.

“You’ve got snow stuck in your eyelashes…” Bastien whispers as Ella closes her eyes for Bastien to gently wipe them away with his thumb.

“All gone?” Ella chuckles as she blinks her eyes open.

“Yes, but now there are more in your hair” Bastien replies.

“In your hair too,” Ella says softly.

Bastien leans forward, his lips barely an inch from Ella’s when the small radio inside of Bastien’s inner jacket buzzes. A moment of dismay flashes across Bastien’s face as he reaches into his jacket, his body still close to Ella’s.

Bastien listens before confirming he is on his way.

“I apologize,” Bastien says quietly.

Ella leans closer to him, her lips pressing into his cheek before she leans closer to his ear,

“Don’t apologize to me, think of a way to make it up to me”

Ella holds her pose for a minute before she turns and walks back towards the grand hall. She turns just enough to look back and see a smirk on Bastien’s lips.